The following four United States patents relate to the art of making electrical connections between electric lines in adjacent railway cars. U.S. Pat. No. 3,251,480, issued to K. L. DePenti et al on May 17, 1966: This patent provides a connector for automatic connection of fluid pressure conduits and electrical circuits. The connector is located underneath the coupler, and joining of the connectors is intended to occur automatically as the cars are coupled. This system is inconsistent with the industry standard brake line fluid pressure connector. No redundancy of contacts is provided, nor wiping action.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,646,498, issued to R. T. Reed et al on Feb. 29, 1972. This is an electrical connector which is not associated with a fluid pressure connector. Electrical contacts are embedded in insulating blocks, and are brought into electrical contact by pins activated when the connectors are joined. No redundancy of contacts is provided, nor wiping action.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,773,186, issued to W. H. Reno et al on Nov. 20, 1973. This patent has contacts in bores, which are placed in electrical contact by fluid pressure. No redundancy of contacts is provided, nor wiping action.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,812,444, issued to W. H. Reno on May 21, 1974. This is a combined fluid pressure connector and electrical connector which is inconsistent with the industry standard brake line fluid pressure connector. No redundancy of contacts is provided, nor wiping action.